


Clouds Clearing Away

by GoblinCatKC



Series: Stormy Friendship [2]
Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003), Usagi Yojimbo
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-13
Updated: 2016-01-16
Packaged: 2018-05-13 17:05:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5710219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoblinCatKC/pseuds/GoblinCatKC
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Soon after their previous adventure, Leonardo and Usagi meet again to take part in the Battle Nexus Tournament as well as enjoy each other's company. But Leonardo's family has yet to learn about their relationship...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Only a couple of weeks had passed since the Nexus had been set ablaze. Hardly any repairs had been made and little of the debris and ashes had been swept up. Blackened skeletons of mostly paper buildings were all that remained in the center of the town, and the buildings that had survived were badly scorched. The numerous vendor carts laden with fruit and trinkets, all untouched by the fire, only stood out and made the damage look worse.

"Whoa," Mike gasped as he stepped out of the glowing portal. "What happened to this place?"

"Looks like a bomb fell on it," Raphael said.

Behind them, Leonardo kept his mouth shut. He and Usagi had omitted several details when they explained their disappearance, and both of them had agreed not to mention the truth in this case. Usagi only kept quiet to protect Leonardo, since it had been at the ninja's request that they came to the Nexus and brought their attackers' wrath down on the little city. The Hamato clan therefore deserved some of the blame, but Usagi didn't want to see his friend castigated for saving his life.

"I hope we are not too late in securing adequate lodgings," Splinter said. "Once we have a room, then perhaps I can go find the Daimyo and ask him what happened."

"Um, we could go look for an inn while you go ask him," Donatello offered.

Splinter looked at him before shaking his head. "I do not know what happened to this town, but I will not be responsible for the rest of its collapse by turning my sons loose upon it."

"Gotta admit," Raphael grinned. "It does kinda look like a lot of the places we've been, once we get through with 'em."

Hiding a wince, Leonardo lightly touched his father's shoulder. "Master, if it's all right, could I go look for Usagi? He said he'd try the Lit Flame inn right in front of the arena."

"So near to the taverns?" Splinter sighed once. "Very well. Stay out of trouble."

"If you get lost," Donatello said, "just give us a call. The shellcells should be able to reach each other here."

Leonardo nodded and started walking towards the most heavily damaged part of town. As he walked, he heard Raphael complaining about being stuck while "fearless leader" was left to wander around by himself.

"Because I know he will not set foot in those taverns," Splinter scolded.

As their voices faded, Leonardo sighed in relief and walked a little faster. A whole week without Usagi! They'd both known that they would see each other at the tournament and had arranged accordingly, but after that small taste in his bedroom, he found himself counting the hours before he arrived here again. Usagi had given him detailed directions on how to find the right inn, but Leonardo found that he didn't need them.

At the crossroad in front of the arena gates, a sign with singed edges pointed between two charred piles of rubble. In the center of the sign, nearly worn away by soot and fire, was a drawing of a burning candle.

"Lit Flame," he murmured to himself and followed its arrow into the rubble that remained of two large buildings.

To his surprise, behind the charred and gutted buildings, he found a three story pavilion in the midst of a grassy clearing surrounded by cherry trees and what looked like scattered koi ponds. Several tall pines between the burned wreckage had saved the inn from a similar fate. Although the front of the trees was  blackened, they'd blocked most of the heat and fire, leaving the inn almost untouched. Unfortunately for the inn keeper, hardly anyone had noticed the inn yet. No doubt most of the contestants and spectators were looking for rooms at the far end of town, away from the fire damage, leaving this place nearly empty.

He walked up to the desk and little bear-like man who grinned to see him.

"Greetings, warrior," the innkeep saluted. "No doubt you are here for the best rooms in all the Nexus!"

"Actually, my friend Usagi said he'd meet me here and--"

"Ah yes, Miyamoto Usagi, the long-eared samurai," the innkeep said, nodding quickly. "You must be the warrior he asked me to keep an eye out for. He has already paid for a room for two."

He reached under the desk and pulled out a key. "This goes to room nineteen, it's our best. If you need anything, please let me know. And please, let everyone know where you are staying. The Lit Flame, now the best hotel nearest the arena."

With a nod, Leonardo turned to go, but he hesitated. Perhaps he was being paranoid again, especially since there were no ninja clans or spirits after him at the moment, but nevertheless he took out two of the larger coins that he'd expected to have to use to buy a room and instead placed them in front of the innkeep.

"I'll certainly be sure to tell people about this place," he said softly, "but in case anyone asks, I'd appreciate it if you forgot that Usagi and I are here."

"Trying to avoid the throngs of fans?" the innkeep said with a smile. He whisked his arm over the coins and they disappeared in his sleeve. "Of course. We have a strict policy of silence when it comes to our guests."

"'Fans'?" Leonardo repeated. "We don't have any--"

"No need to be so modest. You've saved the Daimyo twice now. Everyone knows you and your friend. I'm sure there will be fake rabbit ears and turtle shells on sale in the market place."

For a ninja who hated attention, he'd rather fight a hag. His mood suddenly dark, Leonardo frowned and headed towards the door, making his way up a very noisy set of stairs. Every single step creaked and he wondered if that was intentional. The next time he came up, he'd have to scale the wall. Or maybe a tree, he thought, if one grew close enough to their window.

By the time he reached the third floor, he wondered why Usagi would choose a place like this. The noise from the nearby taverns was faint but it was still morning. No doubt by nightfall the racket would be deafening. And the inn itself was obviously old and in need of repair. It was clean, but everything groaned, the walls had yellowed with age and he didn't want to think about how rickety the stairs felt.

"It may not look like much, but it attracts a quieter clientele."

Leonardo smiled. Every anxiety faded at Usagi's voice. He looked down the hall and spotted his friend leaning in the doorway, his arms folded and his head tilted at a slight angle.

"Anything's quieter than the inn itself," he said. As if agreeing, the floors creaked beneath him.

"I thought you ninja could walk through dry leaves without any noise at all," Usagi said. "A wood floor should be no problem."

"Not many leaves where I come from," Leonardo said, stopping in front of him. "Not many samurai, either."

"There's one in front of you now," Usagi murmured. He raised a hand to Leonardo's face, then gently tugged him forward for a kiss.

"The peasants were right," Leonardo mumbled. "You samurai _are_ pushy."

"And you ninja are exasperating." Usagi drew back just enough to look into his eyes. "It's good to finally see you again."

"I nearly went insane waiting." He glanced over his shoulder purely out of habit. "Maybe we shouldn't be standing in the middle of the hall--"

"You'll hear anyone long before they reach this floor," Usagi smiled, but he turned to let Leonardo in anyway. "Will your brothers be competing in the tournament?"

"Yeah, they're looking for an inn somewhere on the other side of town," Leonardo said. He looked around but the room was simply furnished with two futons, a low table with a single candle, a cabinet and a rack to place their swords. "Master Splinter thought this one was too close to the taverns."

"I've never had a problem inside them," Usagi said, tilting his head.

"You've never tried to keep a handle on my brothers," Leonardo said. He crossed over to the window and leaned on the sill, looking out over the trees. "This place is perfect."

"Secluded, close to the arena," Usagi agreed, coming beside him. "And right across from a large, sturdy maple tree."

Leonardo laughed. "You know me so well."

"And how well do you know me?"

Had it ever felt so right to be so close to someone? "Not as well as I would like."

He moved to put his arm around Usagi, but hesitated before he touched him. "How's your side? You haven't had much time to heal--"

"I rested at Lord Noriyuki's estate. I am fit for combat and anything else." Usagi reached out and closed the shutters.

There were too many gaps in the windows and walls for the room to darken, but the light that did remain turned soft. The noise of the world drifted away until the only sound was that of Usagi's light breathing.

"Forgive me," Leonardo whispered. "I have no idea what to do now."

Usagi smiled and took his hand. "Then I will show you."


	2. Chapter 2

Hours later, Leonardo woke as his shellcell beeped somewhere in the room. For a moment he considered ignoring it, content to curl a little closer to the warm, fuzzy body beside him. Usagi's shoulder seemed the perfect pillow and the slight draft in the room only made the blanket over them that much more comfortable.

"Stupid siblings," Leonardo mumbled.

"You can't really blame them," Usagi offered. "They gave us plenty of time."

"Mm. I guess." Although if he thought about it, it really seemed like too much time. He sat up and looked around the room until the spotted the little green light blinking in time with the beeping underneath the window, next to his belt.

With half-closed eyes, he crawled off the futon and across the floor. He scooped up the communicator and sat back against the wall as he turned it on, taking a moment to clear his head and take a deep breath before he answered. His little brother popped up on the view screen.

"Leo, finally! I've been calling for like five minutes."

"Sorry, Mike," he answered. "Usagi and I were...practicing. Couldn't hear anything."

"All day? Geez." Michelangelo glanced over his shoulder as if someone was talking to him. "Okay, okay, gimme a minute."

He looked back with a sheepish smile. "Uh, you know how we're all here to compete in the tournament?"

"Yes." Leonardo frowned.

"And how that floaty guy usually comes and grabs people who're fighting in the preliminaries?"

"Considering how we kind of fell into the preliminaries last time, not really." Leonardo sighed, a sense of what his brother was trying to say slowly taking form in his mind. "Mikey? What happened?"

"The floaty guy came while you were gone and I guess there was some kind of mix-up 'cause he took all of us except Splinter and we had to fight these freaky bug-looking guys and now we're signed up as just a team of three. No chance to pick up any extra team members." Michelangelo sighed. "Sorry, big bro'."

"Wait, the Gyoji picked you up?" Leonardo glanced at Usagi, who shrugged. "I wonder why he hasn't come here yet."

"Uh, he said there were a lot of contestants this year," Michelangelo said. "So the prelims might take a few days. And it's why he started early."

Usagi stretched and crawled over, sitting down in front of him. "Then we will simply fight as a team. After all, the final matches are single rounds. We'll have the opportunity to face each other later."

Leonardo smiled and almost forgot about his brother. "It's okay, Mikey. Usagi and I will come together. I mean, we'll team up. Just make sure you three make it to the finals."

"You're not angry?" Michelangelo asked. "'Cause Raph' said you would be, that's why he made _me_ call you."

"No, I'm not angry," Leonardo assured him. "Usagi and I will just have to wait to fight each other, that's all."

"Oh, okay." Michelangelo tilted his head. "Um, wait. I thought you two were fighting already?"

"What?"

"You said you were practicing and--"

"Practicing isn't the same as fighting," Leonardo said in a rush, giving Usagi a glare as the samurai covered his mouth to muffle his laughter. "Tell Master Splinter I'll be staying here so I don't miss the next call."

"Okay! See you later, big bro'," Michelangelo grinned. "Unless we don't see you in town, but then I guess we'll see you at the tournament, right?"

"Sure," Leonardo smiled. "If you make it to the finals, that is."

"Uh-huh--wait, what do you mean 'if'?" Michelangelo cried. "I'm the Battle Nexus Cham--"

Leonardo snapped the communicator off and tossed it aside. "Whoops, got cut off."

"I suggest we do not practice any further," Usagi said, letting a little of his laughter slip out. "We should be ready when we are summoned."

"Yeah, I guess so."

Leonardo sounded so disappointed that Usagi started laughing again, but the samurai let it go by without comment. Instead he rose and walked over to the cabinet where he'd tossed most of his clothing.

"There are other things we can do. We don't have to stay inside while we wait," Usagi said as he dressed. "The summons will come wherever we are."

"What did you have in mind?" Leonardo retrieved his belt and swords, as well as his other light weapons like shuriken and caltrops which needed to be tucked away.

"Lunch," Usagi said. He opened the window and grimaced when he saw how low the sun had sunk. "Or perhaps dinner. It seems we slept in later than I thought."

"You don't think we missed the Gyoji?" Leonardo asked.

Usagi quirked an eyebrow. "A large glowing messenger that suddenly pops in on a ninja and a samurai? No, I do not."

"You mean just a samurai," Leonardo said. "I think I was out pretty deep."

"Not as deep as you think," Usagi said. "You don't seem to relax even in your sleep."

Leonardo shrugged. It wasn't too surprising. "Guess it's just part of living the way I do."

He moved to stand next to Usagi, leaning against the window sill as they looked out. Although the trees blocked most of the view, they could still see the city lights as they came on one at a time. Lamps were carefully lit by every door and street corner, and and the taverns nearby all started glowing gold on the inside. The Nexus arena was dark, but two strong bonfires illuminated the gate and a long sheet of paper on the front.

"Those will be the teams already signed up," Usagi said. "We should go see who we might be facing."

When he didn't hear a reply, Usagi looked curiously at him. Leonardo sighed and stared at the street.

"The innkeep said something that bothered me a little. That we might have fans."

Usagi nodded once. "He said the same thing to me. I'm not sure how much weight to give his words, but I thought it best to be prepared."

He opened up the cabinet and drew out two long cloaks. Simple and dark brown, they looked like something many other combatants wore around town. They would blend in nicely with the crowd.

"I thought it would be prudent," Usagi said. His smile turned into a smirk. "Unless you prefer I find a courtesan's gown? I'm sure they sell them here."

Leonardo tried to scowl, but he couldn't help his smile as he took a cloak. "The gowns or the girls?"

"That I wouldn't know," Usagi smiled. "I've never been to that part of town."

His sheaths had to be attached at his side instead of his back, but Leonardo didn't mind so much. He had practiced drawing from his side before, and this way the cloak wouldn't catch on his swords.

They locked their door and made their way downstairs, passing a handful of other lodgers talking in the front room. No one spared them a glance except the innkeep to wave and assure them that he would leave the outside lanterns lit through the night.

"Where to?" Leonardo asked.

"The Stuffed Bun, I think," Usagi said. "It's one of the less rambunctious taverns."

"Are they really bad here?"

"No, not most of them, although I wouldn't be surprised if we had a few warm up fights before the preliminaries."

The streets were almost empty when they came out from the inn's grove. Flickering firelight gave the Nexus a much different feel than New York lamps. Although the night air was chilly, the fires kept the street comfortably warm. Even better, there were no strong city lights to blot out the stars. They spread out across the sky in a stream across the moon, pure silver against the pitch black night.

Few spectators had arrived for the preliminaries, leaving the streets mostly empty. Only a handful of vendors even had merchandise displayed, instead using the time to position themselves most favorably for the start of the games. One of them busily set up his signs and arranged his various trinkets on a backboard. Something glinted and caught Leonardo's eye, and when he turned for a better look, he groaned to see that the innkeep had been right. Fake turtle shells were hung on a post, each of them polished with a strap so that tourists could simply drape them over their backs like cloaks. Although most of them bore a belt with the letter M, a few had a letter L, D or R in the center. A sign on top of the post advertised for both the Battle Nexus champion and the saviors of the Nexus.

"Great," he muttered. "At least they're focusing more on Mikey."

Usagi laughed. "He's selling your masks, too. Mostly orange, but I do see a few blue ones in the pile."

His laughter faded when he spotted another pile, and Leonardo followed his look. Long white rabbit ears attached to headbands lay on the other side of the cart, with a sign advertising about another Nexus savior.

"How much are they?" Leonardo whispered.

"Don't you dare," Usagi warned.

"Don't worry," Leonardo reassured him. "I wouldn't embarrass you like that."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"And they're nowhere near as cute as yours--ow!" Leonardo rubbed his smacked shoulder. "I can't help it if you're fuzzy."

Usagi lowered his fist. "I should hit you harder. I never even noticed vendors before, but now... You must be a bad influence."

"Me? You dragged me into a fight against a dozen ninja clans."

"Stop exaggerating. And that was your fault, too." Usagi sighed and shook his head. "Falling in love with a ninja only makes life complicated."

Leonardo smiled, but he wasn't about to lose the argument. "Have you ever heard of love making anyone's life simpler?"

About to answer, Usagi considered the question before shaking his head once. "Only when the lovers committed suicide. I admit, I do not like that particular solution."

They turned the corner and stepped into the light of a dozen bars lining both sides of the street. Farther along the way, contestants and early spectators drank and gambled in the dust of the road, laying money on the throw of a dice or in the skill of two brawling drunks. This close to the arena, however, the first tavern had a sign showing a steaming bun with a fork stuck inside and nothing but the murmur of quiet patrons.

A smell of smoke filled the room, but burning tobacco and other plants were a small price to pay for the dim lighting. A single candle lit every table, adding to the smoky haze near the ceiling, and as soon as they sat down, the waiter brought around a bottle of sake with a strong scent. Leonardo allowed Usagi to pour both cups, too interested in glancing around at the bar.

"You should be careful," Usagi warned, but his voice was too light to be taken seriously. "If you keep looking around like that, people will think you're a newcomer. Easy pickings."

"Only amateurs make that mistake," Leonardo said. "Any real fighter watching me move will know exactly what I am. If I'm not in disguise, of course."

Usagi took a sip from his cup and smiled. As always, the Bun's sake was good quality. "If I had not seen your various disguises, I would not believe you. I still cannot reconcile my memory of you playing a courtesan. You stood before me and I thought you were just another silly girl."

"You were tied up and exhausted," Leonardo said. "And everyone else was drunk. Trust me, if you were to see me dressed the same but in good light, alert and awake, the illusion wouldn't stand a chance."

Usagi's eyes sparkled. "Perhaps we could put that to the test some day? I do remember that you looked good in a dress."

"I don't mind," Leonardo said, taking a sip of sake and wincing, unused to alcohol. "As long as you wear the same." He smiled despite the alcohol when Usagi balked. "I'm sure you'd look much better than I would."

With a look, Usagi shook his head and leaned back in his seat. "How is it you usually have a comeback to everything? Does you master train you in verbal sparring?"

"Not really," Leonardo laughed. "But I do have three younger brothers who can be very sarcastic."

Usagi opened his mouth to reply, but a bright blue light flashed through the small tavern, interrupting him. Everyone turned and watched as the Gyoji spoke for a moment with two alien females before vanishing with them again. Nothing was said as the other combatants realized how suddenly a summons could come.

Leonardo leaned forward and whispered to his friend. "He does know we're going to compete, right?"

Usagi smiled. "I'm sure your brothers made that quite clear to him."

The thought of what his family must have said to the Gyoji, ranting and complaining about the sudden summons, made Leonardo laugh.

"I'm kind of glad the tournament is so hectic this year. I wouldn't want to fight alongside anyone else."

"Only in the qualifying rounds," Usagi reminded him. "In the main arena, we will eventually compete against each other."

"Hopefully as the last two competitors," Leonardo said.

Usagi smiled around his sake. "Of that, I have no doubt."


	3. Chapter 3

After dinner, they strolled around to the main gate, glancing at the long list of combatants who remained after the initial preliminary rounds. Leonardo recognized few of the names, relying on Usagi to point out the strong or tricky fighters, but even Usagi didn't know many of them. As they read, two new names appeared as if written by an invisible hand on the bottom of the list.

"They must have just qualified," Usagi said.

"This waiting is worse than fighting." Leonardo sighed and looked over his shoulder at the empty town. Even at the far end of the street where the fire damage was slight, only a few windows glowed in the darkness. "I wouldn't have thought there were so many people here already."

"The Nexus is bigger than it looks," Usagi said. "It has to be to accommodate thousands of spectators--"

As the air crackled around them in a flash of light, both of them instinctively reached for their swords but the booming voice gave them no time to react.

"Miyamoto Usagi and Hamato Leonardo," the Gyoji said, staring at them as he floated just out of reach. "You fight as a team?"

"Yes, we--" Usagi answered.

They had no warning before they suddenly appeared in a grassy plain opposite two other fighters, a blue female with four arms and a sword in each hand and her companion, who stood twice as tall as Leonardo with eight arms and a different weapon in each one. Reminded of a Hindu god, Leonardo recognized a war hammer, an axe, a scimitar and a kama before he stopped trying to identify everything and exchanged a look with Usagi as they both shrugged off their cloaks.

"You want the big one or the small one?"

"I think the large one has already decided upon you," Usagi said.

"He's already decided he wants to beat me, too," Leonardo said. "Doesn't mean I'm gonna let him."

The war hammer crashed down towards them and ended their conversation, but it only struck the dirt, leaving a circular crater in the grass. Leonardo rolled and came back to his feet, only to be forced to duck low as the axe swept just over his head. Rolling again to give himself some space, he stayed close to the ground, away from his opponent's considerable reach.

He tried to get a glimpse of Usagi's fight, but the red fighter's body blocked his view. Fortunately each attack was slow, the spear thrusting towards his head first, then the kama swung for his shoulder, then the hammer again. Leonardo wondered if the fighter was tired from waiting up all night for the match, but he felt no sympathy. If his opponent was too tired to attack from the front, perhaps he wouldn't be able to defend as well if Leonardo attacked from behind.

Still, Leonardo was surprised by how fast the fight ended. One moment he had darted between the fighter's feet, swinging his sword as he turned, the next moment the tall fighter had disappeared and the last echoes of Usagi's fight were dying in the distance. Leonardo stood up and put his sword away, meeting Usagi's look.

"That was quick," he said, looking around to make sure they really alone. "What happened?"

"We won," Usagi said with a smile. "They looked fearsome, but in a real fight, they were rank amateurs."

"You mean...?" Leonardo blinked. "All those arms and he couldn't defend his rear? I didn't really think I'd connect."

"This was only a preliminary match," Usagi reminded him. "Has it been so long since you faced such novice opponents?"

Before he could answer, the Gyoji's familiar light flashed over them. When they could see again, they were alone on the Nexus street in front of the gate. Their names appeared on the roster, Usagi's on top of Leonardo's.

"From the looks of it," Usagi said, putting a hand on the page as he read, "I think we'll have our next match tomorrow. Probably late tomorrow."

"How can you tell?"

"Remember, I've done this before. Usually the preliminaries only take a couple of days, but these names are twice the normal amount of competitors, and that's just some of tonight's first round. I wouldn't be surprised if it takes a week before we even begin fighting in the arena."

"A few extra days sounds fine," Leonardo said as he stretched, glancing over his shoulder down the street. "I hope the fights aren't all that easy, though."

"It was a bit unfair, wasn't it?"

Usagi turned to hide his smile as he led the way back to their hotel. He doubted that his friend realized how he looked, still on edge and fidgeting even worse than usual. The ninja had been expecting a real fight. Without it, he was hyperaware and his hands flexed as if longing to hold a sword.

The walk did nothing to work off Leonardo's restless energy, and Usagi frowned at his mention that he would meditate a little before joining him in bed. Leonardo burned with an excitement that had nothing to do with sex, making Usagi wonder if he needed that meditation to control a well-hidden enjoyment of combat. After all, Leonardo's emotions seemed freer during a fight than not. Usagi understood that feeling well. True samurai and perhaps ninja were not merely trained but born to love the sword. And from past experience he knew that an unsatisfying fight often left him edgy the rest of the day. By the time they reached the Lit Flame, his mind was made up.

Taking Leonardo's hand, he steered him away from the main doors and further into the garden surrounding the inn. Four torches lit the corners of the garden, their light reflecting off the koi ponds into the tree branches. Usagi chose the darkest corner and tugged Leonardo closer, satisfied that his friend didn't ask questions even though he was obviously curious.

"The nexus doesn't have any hot springs," Usagi said as he sat by the pond, trailing his hand in the water. "But the Lit Flame's garden is one of the best."

Sitting beside him, Leonardo leaned against the maple tree. The night breeze rustled the branches, making the stars blink in and out of sight. Although he felt nervous sitting in the open, he didn't sense anyone nearby and the soft splashing of the startled koi only emphasized the garden's calm ambiance.

Perhaps this was a better place to meditate and clear his head--his eyes widened as Usagi flopped down in his lap, wiggling down between his legs until he sat on the grass, leaning back against Leonardo's stomach. Startled at first, after a moment Leonardo put his arms around Usagi's waist, reassured when the samurai lay his head back on his shoulder. They lay like that watching the moon as it crept over the stars, occasionally hidden by passing clouds.

It was a view Usagi enjoyed often, living on the road so long, but he doubted that his friend saw this more than a few nights out of the year. Leonardo measured his life not in the phases of the moon but in flickering electric lights and candles keeping back the darkness.

"Forgive me for asking," Usagi murmured, "but...I remember your home. It's always dark. There's no wind or sky. It feels like..."

"Like a grave," Leonardo answered. "It's okay. I know."

"Do you ever wish you could leave?"

"Sometimes. Not because it's dark, but being outside is just so much more vivid. I rarely get to see the sky." He shrugged. "Anyway, my siblings feel it worse than I do."

"They don't like it either?"

"Not really. Raph sneaks out all the time, and Mike sometimes follows him. But it's the safest place for us."

"And it's hard to convince them of that," Usagi said. He didn't have siblings, but he'd been young once and remembered the intense longing to explore the world.

"They'll never believe me," Leonardo said. "Unless we lose it. Then they'll understand, maybe."

"They are still very young," Usagi agreed. His mouth quirked. "How old are you, by the way?"

"Old enough," Leonardo said firmly, refusing to elaborate.

Usagi chuckled but didn't tease him further, content to lie back and watch the koi sparkling in the torchlight. Escaping from that underground fortress must be a blessing for all of them, for Leonardo too, even if he wouldn't admit it. Usagi didn't want to think about how they felt each time they had to return.

But he did imagine what their final tournament match might be like, facing each other in the arena with the crowds cheering as they tested their skill. No doubt his added years of experience would make the difference between victory or defeat. And the thought of defeating Leonardo, standing over him with his blade at his throat...he couldn't deny that it sent shivers through his body.

When Leonardo held him closer, perhaps thinking that he shivered because of the cold, Usagi held silent and turned into his embrace.


	4. Chapter 4

The next two days passed much like the first. Two more preliminary rounds eliminated their competition but left them both unsatisfied, forcing them to work off their pent up energy in more enjoyable ways. On the third day, however, after a match that lasted less than ten seconds, Usagi noticed that Leonardo's nerves were wearing thin, and he had to admit his own frustration as well.

"This will be a good lesson for the Daimyo and his Gyoji," Usagi said, watching the candle light flicker on the wall. "Perhaps next year they will institute more stringent entry requirements."

Leaning against the window sill, Leonardo watched the Gyoji's light flicker along the main street, gathering contestants and returning the winners so fast that he resembled a fat blue firefly. He sighed and closed his eyes.

"Why are there so many contestants this year? Is it our fault?"

"Why do you ask if it's our fault?"

Leaving the window open so the breeze would cool the room, Leonardo sat back down beside Usagi. "Everywhere we go, we seem to...I don't know, really change things. My brothers and I have affected intergalactic wars, and then after you and I came through here--I wouldn't be surprised if something we did attracted more attention here."

Usagi laughed once. "Then set your mind at ease. You and I did affect the Nexus, but I think our efforts actually helped deter some combatants."

"Really?"

"Indeed. We burned most of the hotels down."

Leonardo laughed despite himself, but there was little humor in it. Usagi went back to watching the candle. The endless waiting and laughable fights were wearing his lover down. He doubted that the ninja would do anything drastic to vent his frustration, but already his carefully polite shell was beginning to crack. If they didn't do something soon, he knew his lover's eagerness for combat would soon turn to resentment.

Lover. He smiled. Such a heady sensation to feel that word in all its meanings. His mind made up in an instant, he stood and extended his hand to his ninja.

"Come on, we're going out."

Without any enthusiasm, Leonardo took the offered hand. "But we already ate. If we keep this up, we're gonna start gaining weight."

"We won't," Usagi promised. "I have a surprise for you."

The devious smile on the bunny's face put Leonardo on guard. "What kind of surprise?"

"You'll see." Usagi put on his cloak and tossed the other to his companion. "I promise you will like it. We just have to make sure your master does not find out. And we've already fought tonight, so I'm sure the Gyoji will not bother us."

"You're not gonna get us disqualified, are you? Because if we fought those morons for three days for nothing--"

"Don't worry so much."

But despite the assurance, Leonardo felt uneasy when Usagi took him much deeper into the street taverns, bypassing the quieter establishments in favor of rowdy crowds and bars with barely enough candles to keep the night at bay. He followed close at Usagi's shoulder as the samurai led him through a doorway into a cramped building with gaps in the wooden walls that let the wind blow through. The smell of alcohol filled the small room and Leonardo could tell that most of the people inside were already in a stupor.

Usagi found the only seats left in the back and took the two bottles of sake that the waitress offered, pouring a liberal amount for both of them. He would've laughed at Leonardo's wary look at his share if he hadn't known that it would embarrass him.

"It is not a snake," he said, hiding his amusement. "It will not bite."

"I've seen Raphael blasted too often to believe that," Leonardo replied, but he took the sake despite his look.

"Your master permits that?" Usagi frowned. Drinking to relax was one thing, but to go too far was undisciplined and foolish when weaponry was involved.

"Not really, but it's either let him do it at home or out in the city where he's not safe."

From the sound of Leonardo's voice, Usagi figured that it was an old thorn in his side. In fact, the ninja's voice often turned weary and resigned when he spoke about his brothers. The weight of responsibility was obvious, but he guessed something else added to the strain. He doubted Leonardo had any of the authority over his siblings that Splinter did, and without that authority, his feeling of being responsible for their safety was doubly hard.

"And you never let yourself indulge?" he asked. "You need not go to the extremes that your brother does."

"Too risky," Leonardo answered, taking another sip. "I couldn't afford to lower my guard. And I have no idea what kind of a tolerance I have for this stuff."

Usagi smiled. "You survived on it pretty well in my world."

"Only a couple of cups."

"One bottle will not render you blind," Usagi said with a friendly roll of his eyes. "Trust me."

Leonardo smiled softly. "I do."

Of course he did. How often did he leave his family and wander into strange bars, risking his safety and even his honor if he were to lose control?

Perhaps I truly am the bad influence in this relationship, Usagi thought.

"Do you know what kind of authority the Daimyo has here?" Leonardo asked as he finished his first cup. "With so many people in and out, this could be a great neutral place for business negotiations."

Business negotiations? Usagi wondered what kind of business a ninja would have in a place like this and did not come to any pleasant answers. His friend was so circumspect about his life that sometimes Usagi forgot that he was a ninja. Theft, espionage, and assassination were simply the terms in which he thought.

No, he decided. I'm definitely not the bad influence here.

"Planning on opening up shop?" he asked.

"Just curious," Leonardo said. "I've found it's always better to know if there are any big players in a city. Helps to avoid fights."

Usagi shook his head. "My master once told me that the Daimyo used to keep a firm hand on all the trade in and out of the Nexus, but with his advancing age, he cannot control the city the way he once did. But until lately I have never seen anything beyond minor fights here."

"Told you my family has a way of upsetting things," Leonardo murmured.

"You've certainly turned my world around," Usagi said.

He tilted his head in amusement as he noticed that alcohol made the ninja's shy smile even more unguarded than usual. As their bottles slowly emptied, he found that he enjoyed watching the layers of stress vanish from his friend. Leonardo's voice never rose or leaned toward anger or laughter, but he did breathe easier and speak more freely about himself. Usagi finally learned that he was seventeen, almost eighteen now, not too young for a samurai of twenty-four. Especially since he acted much older, too old for a teenager to have to act.

What most interested him was his lover's reaction when the small group of men at the next table stood to leave. For the first time, Usagi saw Leonardo truly startled. So caught up in their conversation and with his senses dulled by drink, Leonardo breathed in and leaned away a few inches, his hand half-raised as if to ward them off. To his relief, the men didn't notice, far more drunk than they were.

"It's all right," Usagi said, putting his hand on Leonardo's. "Relax."

"I think I might have relaxed too much," Leonardo said. "I wouldn't want to get us in trouble, after all."

"'Trouble'?"

Leonardo gestured at the strap over his shoulder that kept his swords in place. "Throwing stars."

Usagi blinked. Leonardo's hand had no been raised in defense. He'd been reaching for shuriken. He shook his head and finished the last of his sake.

"Are all ninja so high-strung?" he asked. "You're like nervous cats, ready to jump at the smallest thing."

"Not always," Leonardo said, not taking offense. "I'm just not used to being around so many people."

Setting the empty bottles aside, Usagi stood and offered his hand. "Then perhaps we should go back. It's late and we should be in bed."

"Can't argue with that." Taking the offered hand, Leonardo stood up and stole a kiss in one motion.

Before Usagi could react, Leonardo had stepped back and was leading the way out. Usagi shook off his surprise. The bar was dark and no one had seen, but he didn't know if it was dark enough to his blush. He hurried to follow the ninja out. True, there weren't many years between them, but he hadn't thought Leonardo would get the drop on him so well.

Damn ninja reflexes! Exasperating creatures, all of them.

The streets had filled while they drank, and now small groups huddled around games of dice while the sounds of small fights came out of a few other taverns. Concealed by their cloaks again, Usagi caught up and walked beside him, looking for any signs of unbalance in his friend. Alcohol could work subtle effects and while he doubted that Leonardo was fall-down drunk, he didn't--

His thoughts were interrupted by a body flying out of one of the taverns up ahead, followed by a blue man as tall as he was wide. He stood in the doorway for a moment, baring his teeth at the smaller bear-like creature that wore an apron showing that he was a waiter. Usagi paused, wondering if the fight was over, but Leonardo simply kept walking.

"You call this sake?" the larger man growled. "I've tasted water that was stronger!"

He flung a bottle down by the waiter's head where it smashed and then followed after it, seemingly intent on tossing the waiter around a bit more. Instead he pulled up short as Leonardo passed in front of him, head down as if he wasn't paying attention to where he was going.

"Hey! Out of my waaaah!"

Usagi winced. One moment it looked like Leonardo was going to be crushed, the next moment the blue man was flying through the air to land beside the waiter. Unfortunately his heavier bulk meant a harder impact and he groaned as he landed wrong. If he hadn't been watching, Usagi doubted he would have noticed. Even the waiter seemed surprised to see the man on the ground.

"Come on," Usagi said, taking Leonardo's hand and pulling him into a dark alley. "We need to get out of here."

"Why?" Leonardo followed obediently but couldn't help looking over his shoulder. "It wasn't even a real fight. Heck, I don't think anyone else noticed."

"Exactly," Usagi said. "You're not drunk, but you've definitely lost some of your inhibitions. We're going back to the inn before we hurt anyone."

Leonardo gave a low laugh but he didn't argue. He squeezed Usagi's hand reassuringly and leaned against his shoulder, more interested in watching the stars than paying attention to where they were, trusting his samurai to lead him back.

Usagi sighed and let his lover lean on him. In truth, he wasn't too worried about the ninja cutting loose, but he was starting to understand what kind of a hold Leonardo kept on himself. Beneath that proper behavior lay a cocky and eager youth.

He smiled. Not safe to be let out on the street, certainly, but he wondered what that cocky eagerness would be like in bed.


	5. Chapter 5

The roar of the crowd filled the arena and echoed through the entire Nexus, but in the hall of champions where Usagi and Leonardo stood, the noise was muffled so that they could whisper comfortably. The few people who wandered through the hall never glanced into the niche behind the largest statue, and Leonardo and Usagi stood close, leaning against the other.

"Don't lose before you face me," Usagi said. "I want to see you at the end."

"I won't lose," Leonardo promised. He half-smiled and glanced at the ground. "Is this arrogant of us? To expect to decide the whole tournament between ourselves?"

"Of course not," Usagi said. "I know no other contestants who have defeated obakemono and waves of ninja as a form of training."

"Just be careful," Leonardo said. "Bad luck can strike the most practiced fighter."

Usagi's familiar smirk slowly crept onto his face. "Ah, I see now. You intend to blame bad luck when I win."

"Just warning you now to soften the blow when I win," Leonardo said, trying to keep a straight face, but Usagi's mirth was too infectious and he turned away to hide his smile. "It isn't fair to make me laugh before a fight."

"All is fair in love and war, and this is both," Usagi countered. "I'm simply being practical."

"Mm, and I can guess where you learned that from."

"A treacherous ninja," Usagi said, stealing an opportunistic kiss. "He's very sneaky. I have to keep a firm grip on him all the time."

"He's probably not used to behaving civilly to pushy samurai," Leonardo said.

About to continue, he found himself interrupted by the warning bell. Somehow the crowd outside grew louder as the main event neared the starting time.

"We better leave now," Usagi sighed. "We will have to continue this later."

"True," Leonardo said. "I promise not to bruise you too badly."

Usagi snorted. "And I promise not to accidentally cut you when you're on the floor staring at my sword."

Reluctantly they stepped out from behind the statue and walked out of the hall, heading down the steps toward the competitors' entrance to the arena. They passed a few stragglers and made their way across the sand, looking for familiar faces.

"I'm surprised your friend Gen didn't come this time," Leonardo said, scanning the competition.

"When I last saw him, he was on the heels of a sizeable bounty," Usagi replied. "Between glory and money, I'm afraid money almost always wins out for him."

"Big bro'! Usagi-san!"

At hearing his little brother's voice, Leonardo smiled and turned, caught in Michelangelo's sudden bear hug. Donatello and Raphael followed at a more sedate pace.

"Good to see you, too," Leonardo said. He couldn't help giving him a quick one-over to make sure he had emerged from every fight unscathed.

"Glad to see you two made it," Raphael said, crossing his arms. "We nearly died of boredom fighting all those lame preliminaries."

"With any luck," Usagi said, "the Daimyo will disallow such amateurs in the future."

"I hope so," Donatello said. "Amateurs can be so unpredictable. I nearly lost once just because one of 'em ducked when she should have attacked."

Gently extricating himself from Michelangelo's embrace, Leonardo looked around the arena before remembering that their master would not be here amongst the competitors. "Where's Splinter?"

"Up there in the big cushy box as usual," Michelangelo replied, waving up and grinning when he spotted Splinter waving back. Leonardo followed his look and relaxed a little to see the Daimyo's small son waving as well.

"Good thing he's got a primo seat," Michelangelo continued. "He'll get to see the Battle Nexus champion in action once again."

"And who would that be?" Raphael snapped.

"Aw Raph, don't be jealous," Michelangelo said, dancing out of Raphael's reach. "I'll go easy on ya."

"Has he been like this the whole time?" Leonardo asked.

They both nodded.

A loud trumpet blared overhead, heralding the beginning of the tournament. The gyoji instructed the competitors to take their places, and Michelangelo's grin widened.

"Finally! See you in the ring, bro's!"

Leonardo threw one last glance at his friend. "Don't lose 'till our match," he reminded him.

"I was about to tell you the same," Usagi said.

Each of them chose a marked section of the arena to themselves and stood still as the walls rose. Cut off from the rest of the world, Leonardo took a few deep breaths and unsheathed his swords, waiting for his first opponent to appear. The crowd roared around him and he stretched a little uneasily. He never liked appearing in front of crowds, but it was a necessary evil to compete here.

To his relief, the eight armed warrior that appeared in front of him looked far more capable than the fighter of the same species that he had defeated several days ago. Each arm held an identical sword and her red skin made her seem more ferocious even without the snarl and bared fangs. As she advanced, Leonardo had to crane his head to meet her eyes.

The first two swords swung towards his head. He ducked and rolled forward just before the next two swords crashed into the ground. Expecting another slash, he sprung to the side and crouched against the wall, looking over his shoulder and raising his sword at the same time.

Instead of blocking a hit, however, he found himself stifling a laugh. His opponent cursed fluently in an alien language as she tried to yank her swords out of the floor and each wall. Leonardo could see it was useless. Each blade had sunk several inches deep.

Seizing the opportunity, Leonardo stood and charged. As expected, the fighter gave up on her trapped swords and turned to face him, bringing her other four swords up as fast as she could. Leonardo's rush caught her by surprise, though, and she took a step back to gain room to swing. That gave Leonardo plenty of room to step on the hilt of one of the embedded swords and leap up, aiming at the fighter's face.

The fighter blocked his initial strike and managed to throw him towards the wall, but Leonardo landed feet first and pushed off again, and this time he came at such an angle behind the red skinned alien's shoulder that there could be no block. His sword swung through the empty air as she shimmered and disappeared, and he landed alone.

Waiting for the next rotation, he sat down to catch his breath. The crowd roared a little louder and he wondered who had just won a match. Probably Michelangelo, he thought.

A minute later the signal came for the next round to begin. He stood up and closed his eyes at the familiar tingle as he was transported to another section of the arena. When the feeling passed, he looked up again.

"Hey big bro'!" Michelangelo grinned. "Didn't expect to see you so soon. Ready to face the Battle Nexus Champion?"

"Yeah, but that's probably three more fights to go," Leonardo smiled back.

Michelangelo never stopped grinning, obviously on a high from the thrill of the crowd and the exultation of combat. "Tough talk for someone who's been slacking off on his training to have fun with a certain samurai."

"Huh?" Leonardo tilted his head as if he was puzzled, but inside he felt himself grow cold. If his little brother had somehow found out about him and Usagi--

"Admit it, you and Usagi did nothing but catch up, right?" Michelangelo said. "I know you two went drinking at least once."

Leonardo raised his swords as Michelangelo started to circle. "How did you--?"

"We snuck out one night and went bar hopping," Michelangelo said, spinning his nunchucks as the fight turned earnest. "I spotted you down the street tossing some big bully into the dirt."

A sigh of relief. Leonardo altered his stance as he continued to face his sibling. "Doesn't mean we were slacking."

"Dude, you never go out!" Michelangelo grinned and faked a lunge, making his brother flinch. "You're off your game. I'm gonna win, you're gonna go down just as hard as Raph did, and then I'll have another trophy for the mantle."

Leonardo narrowed his eyes but he didn't make the first move, either. If this was how Michelangelo approached single combat, he had to admit it was effective. Michelangelo liked to tease out his enemy's weakness through laughter, and Leonardo's calm facade covered nervous irritation, not a good mental state for a fight. Already he felt impatient to attack. But he knew better than to respond.

He fell silent and refused to speak again, letting Michelangelo rattle off playful barbs meant to drive him into careless anger. As long seconds passed and his calm veneer never faltered, Michelangelo grew visibly annoyed. Leonardo only saw it in the slight tightening of Michelangelo's smile and the quickening spin of the nunchucks, but it was there.

Without warning, his brother attacked. The first nunchuck arced towards his head, missing him by a hair's breadth as he leaned back. Sand slipped underfoot and Leonardo fell backwards, but he covered his fall with a swipe of his sword. The fall startled his brother as well. Michelangelo's second nunchuck wrapped around his sword hilt, but without a moment to brace himself, he was yanked forward as Leonardo landed on his shell.

Using his momentum to throw his brother over his head to the ground, Leonardo let go of his trapped sword and turned onto his hands and knees, scrambling to get within reach while Michelangelo scrambled to get back on his feet. The half-second he used to free his nunchuck from around the sword meant he was still rising when he turned and saw Leonardo's second sword coming towards his face.

"Aw, shell--" Michelangelo groaned just before he disappeared.

Lowering his sword, Leonardo panted for breath and glanced up at the glass panel where the losing fighters were transported. At this distance he couldn't see Michelangelo appear, but he did finally notice how full the arena was. Thousands of people packed the stands, and that was only the small section he could see, all cheering at the spectacle before them.

He retrieved his sword and inspected it for any damage. Swords could crack so easily and chains wrapped around with enough strength to create deep and irreparable chinks. To his relief, only a small bit had been chipped from the edge. He had no doubt that he could find a shop to repair it after the tournament.

The next two fights he won with less effort, besting two newcomers whose unease at fighting in front of a crowd left them looking over their shoulder when they should have been focused on their enemy. This time Leonardo had several minutes to rest and recover, leaning against the wall and listening to the sound of crashing metal and battle cries coming through the air.

A longer and more complex fanfare announced the next match. He straightened and readied himself for another rotation. Instead the walls sank back into the earth and stood directly across the field from Usagi. The long-eared samurai's shoulders heaved with deep breaths and his swords pointed at the ground. No doubt his last opponent had been much stronger than Leonardo's last two.

Sheathing his swords, Leonardo crossed the arena and stood a few feet away, openly staring at his friend. He had never seen him like this, determined to fight through his fatigue.

"You see?" Usagi said. "We are the last."

Leonardo nodded once. "Can they hear us?"

"Over the crowd?" Usagi smirked. "I think not."

Although the spectators were slowly quieting in expectation, the arena rumbled with their foot stomps and applause. Leonardo didn't bother looking. He was tired of being surrounded and stared at. Imagining that they were just loud background noise made it easier to ignore them.

"Take a few minutes to rest," he said. "I don't want to beat you because you were tired."

Usagi's smirk turned into a smile. "Perhaps we should ask the Daimyo to remove the sand. I wouldn't want to beat you because you slipped."

Leonardo blinked. "How did you--?"

He followed Usagi's nod at the far end of the stadium and his eyes widened. His previous positions in the arena had kept him from noticing that one of the walls damaged in the past fight with the Daimyo's son had been repaired with a flat surface, and now some strange magic or technology showed replays of their past matches. He enjoyed watching Usagi's lithe form float effortlessly around his opponents, his swords a graceful whirlwind, and then he winced when the replay showed his fight with Michelangelo. His fall looked so obviously clumsy from that angle.

"No doubt the crowd thought it was a wonderful trick," Usagi said, barely smothering his laughter. "You ninja truly are masters of your environment."

"On second thought," Leonardo grumbled, drawing his swords, "let's get this match started, you smug little bunny."

Usagi laughed and raised his own swords in a defensive stance. "When I win, I will remind you of that comment."

Standing perfectly still as they stared into each other's eyes, they waited for the other to make the first move. Usagi was used to such duels but Leonardo rarely fought in such stylized combat. The hush that fell upon the crowd only made him more uncomfortable. The whole world was watching them, and the thought made his skin crawl. Even a fight seemed more intimate with Usagi. He would have rather faced him in the open countryside of Usagi's world, with no audience and no penalty or prize worse than teasing.

Sunlight flashed as Usagi stepped forward and brought his sword down. Leonardo stepped to the side and dodged, attacking Usagi's unprotected flank, but the samurai's short sword blocked and then slid along Leonardo's blade towards his throat.

Reacting in an instant, Leonardo deflected with his second sword and found himself forced to dive forward, narrowly missing Usagi's backswing and coming up with his sword poised to block. The sound of steel sliding against steel echoed through the arena as he deflected Usagi's strike and stood straight, his swords centered again and ready for another strike. In front of him, Usagi settled back into a defensive stance and smiled.

"Close," he said softly. "You are lucky the Daimyo's attendants are well trained. Anyone else would have thought you were dead and summoned you out of the arena."

"Including a cocky samurai," Leonardo replied, "who celebrates before the fight is over."

Again they fell silent. The occasional cough and whisper echoed in the arena's perfect acoustics, and in the near silence Leonardo found his focus much easier. Despite the tension of the fight, he found nothing but pleasure in focusing on Usagi. The rabbit's muscles rippled under his white fur, his long ears fell like soft cloth to his shoulder, and the intensity of his gaze sent shivers through Leonardo's body.

Of course he thought Usagi looked better in motion, but a samurai's duel did not lend itself to wild fighting. Leonardo tightened his grip on his swords and feinted to the right, easily dodging Usagi's reactive stroke and turning along the flat of rabbit's blade to come nearly face to face. Usagi's short sword forced him to avoid attacking his front, and instead he continued moving by him, falling to one knee and swinging his right blade backwards, aiming for Usagi's waist.

His sword met nothing but air and he used the momentum to stand again, rising smoothly so that the attack looked like one continuous move. When they faced each other again, he was pleased to note that Usagi looked far more wary than before.

"Such a treacherous ninja," Usagi said, but without heat. Although he did not smile, his voice was light.

"Even samurai know how to feint," Leonardo said.

"True, but you began this fight matching my style," Usagi said. "You ninja love to change the rules in the middle of a fight."

Leonardo half-smiled. "We're just more practical."

"Perhaps," Usagi said.

A familiar mischievous gleam entered his eyes and Leonardo steeled himself. Usagi could be unorthodox as well.

"We are evenly matched," Usagi continued. "Even though our styles differ, I fear this fight could indeed be determined by luck."

"You flatter me," Leonardo said, knowing it was impossible to hide entirely how much he enjoyed the compliment.

"Not at all. Either of us could win. In a few minutes, you might be the one standing before the Daimyo and receiving the adoration of the crowd."

Leonardo froze. His breath hitched.

"Thousands upon thousands of people would know your name," Usagi said. "Your fame would spread far and wide, as it does for all Nexus champions. Your statue in the hall stand for all to see."

Psychological barbs like Michelangelo's were one thing. Usagi's attack did not sting but rather hit with all the weight of the truth. Leonardo began to stand straight, lowering his swords a few inches.

"A ninja known far and wide," Usagi said. "You could come out of those shadows you love for more than just a few hours out of the day."

His defense completely dropped, Leonardo stared at Usagi in shock.

"I didn't think..." he whispered to himself.

All these things would certainly come to pass if he won. Michelangelo thrived on attention, but to Leonardo, widespread attention made him want to find a dark corner and pull it in after himself. Standing by while his brother received accolades was uncomfortable enough. To be the center of attention--

"How could I have been so stupid?" he whispered.

"You are a ninja," Usagi sighed with a sad smile. "But you are also a consummate warrior who loves any challenge."

And he had been enjoying his time with Usagi too much to think straight, he realized. Usagi was simply too polite to mention that.

"Of course if you don't mind being the guest of honor at the ceremony," Usagi said, his voice trailing off.

Sit in front of the Nexus lord and exchange pleasantries? He'd rather hide in the rafters.

He breathed out. This match was over.

"When we're alone, I expect another match. But for now..." His swords slid back into the sheaths. The audience's gasp seemed louder than their previous cheers as he sank to one knee, head slightly bowed.

"I concede."

In the hot sunlight, Usagi shivered. Leonardo had no idea what kind of power he had over the samurai. Swallowing once, Usagi raised his sword and slid the flat edge just under his lover's jaw, tilting his head up to meet his gaze.

"I accept," he whispered.

The world disappeared. The crowd and the Nexus and everyone ceased to exist. Unable to resist, Usagi bent down and put his hand on Leonardo's cheek, smiling as he felt Leonardo's hand cover his own as they kissed.

Never had a Nexus tournament ended like this. If the crowd had cheered before, they shattered the heavens now. In the center of the arena, neither Usagi nor Leonardo heard their wild applause, not until Leonardo disappeared from Usagi's hand. The new Battle Nexus Champion stood straight and sheathed his swords, unable to smother his delight. With any luck, the award ceremony would not take long. He wanted nothing more than to return to the inn where he was sure Leonardo would wait for him.

No doubt there he would collect his real prize.

High above the arena, Leonardo watched Usagi from the chamber for fallen warriors. His hands trembled from excitement as he lightly touched the glass. His entire body felt tense and light at the same time. Nothing in the world mattered except the torment of waiting for Usagi to come back to him. He felt as though he could fly.

Until the shellcell on his belt startled him back into the real world. He took it out and held it, staring at the blinking light demanding his attention. The reality of what he had just done slammed into him like a sledgehammer to the stomach.


	6. Chapter 6

Gritting his teeth, Leonardo took a deep breath and turned the communicator on.

"What the hell was that?!" Raphael yelled. "What the hell? You threw the fight--just what the hell were you thinking? No, I take that back! Obviously you weren't thinking! And what the hell was that at the end? I know it wasn't what I think it was! It better not have been--!"

"Dude, that's my shellcell!" Michelangelo said, wrenching it from Raphael's hands. He glared at Raphael for a second before looking at the viewscreen. "Leo, what the hell? Why'd you beat me if you were just gonna throw the fight? Couldn't you have done that during our fight? Then I could've beat Usagi and been the Battle Nexus--"

"Give me that!" Raphael snapped, grabbing the communicator back. "If I hear you whine one more time--Leo, you better gimme one damn good reason--"

"Enough!" Splinter deftly plucked the shellcell from Raphael's hand. "Leonardo, do not leave that room. We will be there soon. And I expect an explanation for your actions." He paused. "And Usagi's."

Without giving him time to reply, the communicator screen went black.

Leonardo's skin grew cold. Splinter might have accepted his reasoning for staying out of the galactic spotlight, but the rest of it? Explanation? He loved that bunny samurai, but when he imagined telling Splinter exactly that, his stomach tightened into painful knots. Bad enough to have to explain to Splinter, but to do so in front of his brothers?

The room felt too small. He couldn't breathe. He had to get out. He had to--

By the time he stopped to think what he was doing, he was already out of the room and in an unfamiliar hallway. Outside he heard the muffled cheers of the crowd, but this part of the palace was empty save for himself. Even better, afternoon shadows covered the rafters overhead. Hearing footsteps coming towards him, he leaped up amongst the thick wooden beams in the ceiling and backed into a corner.

"Man," Michelangelo said as he came into view. "When he screws up, he really screws up."

"I can't believe he took off on Master Splinter," Raphael said. "And Splinter thought we were the ones who were gonna start trouble."

"I can't believe he threw the match in front of everyone," Donatello said, a touch of awe in his voice. "What could've made him do it?"

They glanced at each other, a possible answer apparent in their eyes, but none of them seemed willing to say it out loud. Leonardo watched them silently, torn between staying quiet or catching their attention. If only he knew where Splinter was--

"Continue searching. I will remain here."

Mystery solved. Leonardo shrank even further into the shadows as his master stopped beside his siblings. His face looked serene as usual but his tail twitched furiously, betraying his mood.

"I don't think he's coming back here," Raphael muttered, but he obeyed regardless, leading Donatello and Michelangelo outside.

When they had left, Splinter stood for a few moments staring at nothing. He tapped his walking stick a few times and after a minute, his tail calmed and lay flat. Taking a deep breath, he exhaled and stood straight.

"We are alone," he said.

Wishing that he hadn't stopped running, Leonardo hesitated several seconds before taking a deep breath and leaping down, landing in front of his master. Falling to one knee, he bowed his head and did not meet his father's eyes. His nervous breath sounded loud to himself and he fought to bring it back under control.

"You conceded the fight," Splinter said. "A fight you could have won."

Splinter didn't tell him to stand. Leonardo winced and silently nodded.

"Why?"

"I did not want to win."

Splinter's cane tapped once on the hard floor. "Why not?"

"I..." Leonardo clenched his hand into a fist. "Champions are made famous across the galaxy. I had forgotten that. I do not want to be known."

"And you thought conceding in such a manner would bring you anonymity? Before this match you were already known. What you have done today will only bring you more acclaim."

"Only as Usagi's...opposite," Leonardo said, carefully choosing his words. "Only as one of nameless Nexus saviors. I hid behind Michelangelo's name before. In time, the rest of the world will forget me."

"You underestimate yourself," Splinter said. "And you overestimate Usagi."

"What?" Leonardo almost looked up but remembered himself in time. He kept his gaze focused on his master's cane.

"It is not entirely your fault," Splinter sighed, and his tail twitched a little less as his irritation shifted to another target. "You are young. You could not be expected to understand such matters, especially when couched in the ways of another world."

Confused, Leonardo struggled to think of something he had missed or perhaps misunderstood. "Master, I don't understand what you mean."

"Usagi is a samurai," Splinter began. "You have already seen the differences in our cultures, the natural clash between our styles."

Honorable samurai and treacherous ninja, Leonardo thought.

"But you have not learned about one of their traditions," Splinter said. "We train as clans and families because ninja cannot form schools openly. Our loyalties are strengthened by blood."

"Samurai have the luxury of learning in schools, but they have another custom, shudo. It is where an older, experienced samurai will take a young novice under his care for more--" he paused to find an appropriate word "--intimate instruction."

Several seconds passed before Leonardo understood exactly what his master had told him. Even more time passed before he realized what it meant to him. His eyes widening, he looked up at Splinter and found his master looking down at him, an unreadable expression on his face.

"The relationship is not equal," Splinter said. "How could it be when the elder samurai has all the experience?"

"That's not true," Leonardo whispered. "This has nothing to do with that."

"The relationship is not equal," Splinter repeated. "The outcome will favor the elder, even if he must resort to manipulation--"

"No." Leonardo stood, taking a step back. He stared warily at his father as if expecting an attack, feeling as if he was already under attack. This was worse than the disapproval he'd feared. He'd trusted Usagi with everything. If that was true--

"That isn't true," Leonardo breathed.

"I am sorry you must learn this way," Splinter said.

"No." He wouldn't believe it. He couldn't. Usagi was honorable and honest, he wouldn't do something like that. Usagi wouldn't take advantage of him. He met Splinter's iron look one more time and flinched.

Splinter exhaled and shook his head. "Come. I must take you home, away from here. You must never meet Usagi again."

Shock compounding upon shock, Leonardo wanted to scream and deny everything. Instead he couldn't raise his voice above a whisper. "What?"

"He has an unfair advantage over you. You will return home and I will try to undo the damage he has caused."

No, he couldn't. Leonardo's voice died utterly. He knew if he spoke, if he said one word, it would be to acquiesce as always to his master's command. He had no choice. He obeyed every command as he had been trained over his entire lifetime. There was no way to say no.

So he didn't even try. Refusing to acknowledge his master's startled gasp or wide eyes, he turned and ran. Within a moment he was outside of the Daimyo's palace. No one had left the arena yet as the final ceremony took place, and he heard their cheering as he escaped beneath the stands out into the main street. Completely empty even of vendors, the street echoed back his footsteps and erratic breaths as he headed for the hotel.

The doors were locked. Desperate to get inside before his brothers found him, he ran around the side to the tall maple tree that stood outside their window. He easily scaled its branches and edged out along the largest one, leaping through the window and then closing it after himself.

With the shutters drawn, on a dim gold gloom filtered into the room, but he didn't think to light the candle. Instead he sat down and leaned back against the wall, squeezing his eyes tight as he caught his breath. Everything had been so perfect this morning. And now everything had broken.

Long minutes passed. He thought he heard Michelangelo's voice once passing somewhere below and the front doors rattled as someone tried them, but soon the hotel fell silent again.

His breathing came back under control, but his heart refused to stop pounding and his stomach still felt twisted in knots. If Usagi came back and said it was true, that Splinter was right and he didn't love him and none of this meant anything--Leonardo choked. Impossible. If that happened, he couldn't stay with Usagi, but he didn't think he could force himself to return home, either. Home meant facing his father in absolute failure and his brothers who couldn't bring themselves to admit that Leonardo had fallen in love with the samurai.

But if what he hoped for came true, if Usagi reassured him that their relationship was one borne out of real love, what then? Would they stay together? Would Usagi even want him on his travels? He'd never mentioned anything like that. Leonardo knew he couldn't intrude like that, no matter what.

Every possible path he took led to the same conclusion, solitude. Cut off from his family, cut off from Usagi, he could not go back and he could not go forward. Trapped in a cage of his own making, he curled up and scorned himself for cowardice as he refused to think about either choice.

Tired from running in mental circles, completely unaware of his surroundings with his eyes half-shut, Leonardo didn't notice the door open or see Usagi sit down until the rabbit lit the candle on the table. All at once the world seemed to start again with the murmur of people outside, the sound of guests moving around downstairs, and the sound of Usagi's breath as he sat at his side, leaning close.

"What's wrong?" the samurai whispered, gently touching the side of his face. "What has happened?"

Usagi tried to peer into his eyes. If his lover regretted his decision to concede now...but he didn't think that would happen. Leonardo wouldn't regret a decision like that, not when he valued his life as a ninja so much.

"Usagi..." Leonardo took a deep breath and steeled himself. "Forgive me, please forgive me for asking this, but my master..."

When Leonardo hesitated, Usagi guessed a little of what might have happened. So the old rat was not as accepting as he'd hoped. Of course not, he realized. What father would want to see his son surrender fame and success for a life of wandering?

Usagi inwardly berated himself. Such a public kiss had been a gamble, now obviously a reckless gamble. He should never have let his passion take hold of him like that, but being in the ninja's presence, having him on his knees--the thought still sent shivers through him.

"What did he say?" he whispered.

"Is this shudo?" Leonardo asked, unable to meet his eyes. "Is this nothing more than a samurai taking a novice under his care?"

Usagi blinked. Shudo? He reeled back and sat straight. Is that what Splinter had accused him of? He never would have expected it of Leonardo's master, but for the ninja to be reduced to such a state, there was no other possibility. Splinter had introduced the chance of their intimacy being hollow, and Leonardo always listened to his master. Usagi counted himself lucky that at least Leonardo had come to give him a chance to explain one way or the other.

He smiled. His amusement was truly unfair, he knew, but now he had the confirmation he'd hoped for that this was not a casual fling for either of them.

"No," he replied. "I am too young and you are too old, and we are far too closely tied for shudo to apply."

Leonardo raised his head, meeting his gaze. "Then what are we?"

This time Usagi's answer came easily. "When we are born, there is a string tied to our finger. And somewhere out there miles and miles away the other end of that string is tied to someone else, someone meant for us and who we are meant for." He leaned close again and nuzzled his lover's cheek. "And I have found my destined."

A measure of relief filled Leonardo. Even if he still remained alone, at least this was real.

"'Destined'?" he echoed.

The note of confused wonder made Usagi offer in a rush. "Come with me."

When Leonardo's eyes widened, Usagi scrambled to explain.

"Forgive me. I meant to ask you a little later, to approach this less bluntly, but I want you by my side. I realize it would mean leaving your family for a while, but you could always return to your world whenever you--"

His words were cut off with a kiss.

That night, tension again knotted Leonardo's stomach. Only knowing that once he finished saying goodbye to his family that he could return to Usagi gave him the incentive to walk down the street to meet them at the Nexus arena gate. Now that the tournament was over, nearly everyone had left the town and the Nexus was empty.

He didn't know what Splinter had told his brothers, but watching their sullen expressions as they stood behind the master did not inspire any confidence in him. Raphael's hands flexed into fists at his sides, while Donatello looked at him like an experiment to examine. Michelangelo had his arms crossed as if to protect himself.

Splinter did not move as Leonardo approached, but when his student did not kneel, his tail twitched.

"You were wrong," Leonardo said first. "It is not unequal."

The master sighed and did not try to argue. He recognized the look in his son's eyes, the same as when he left the lair against his wishes out of sheer will. His son would leave. All he could control now was how his son left.

"You have chosen then," Splinter said. "You will go with Usagi?"

"You're going away?" Michelangelo asked in a small voice.

Leonardo nodded once. "To his world. For a time."

Raphael snorted at that. "Just like that? Figures. What if something happens, huh? We're just shit outta luck while you go off having fun?"

"You know how to contact me," Leonardo said, refusing to fight. It didn't help. Raphael just turned and refused to look at him.

"For how long?" Donatello asked. "Will you write? You'll come back and visit, right?"

"Of course--"

He froze as Michelangelo suddenly rushed him, trapping him in a tight hug. Slowly he forced himself to relax and hold him back.

"But why?" Michelangelo asked.

Leonardo closed his eyes. It wasn't fair to have to decide between one world and the next, but that was his only choice. That the choice was painful and tore him in half didn't change anything.

"I've lived for the family for so long," he whispered. "I have to try living for myself for awhile."

When Michelangelo didn't move, he gently held him back at arm's length. "Mikey, you know I'm not going away forever. I'll come back once in awhile. And you can come visit whenever you like."

"...you promise?"

"On my honor."

There was little else to say, or that he could say. A few more awkward words passed, a few silent seconds in the night breeze, and then he watched them go home without him. Nothing resolved, nothing even really addressed. They knew the bare facts, nothing more. But he didn't think he could articulate anything else.

Feeling as if he'd closed the chapter on a part of his life that he knew he could never really get back, he returned to the inn. He'd left Usagi waiting for him, not wanting to make him face his family, and now he found him leaning against the maple tree with his arms folded. As he came close, the samurai touched his face.

"You've lost something," Usagi said. "Are you all right?"

"I would've been torn in half no matter what I did," Leonardo replied. "At least this way I found something, too."

"I wish you did not have to know regret," Usagi said. "It never lets you go, not really."

Leonardo shook his head. "I don't regret this choice, just the way I had to make it."

Usagi nodded in understanding and didn't say anything else. Together they both drew the gate back to Usagi's world and recited the short chant. With the night wind at his back and the samurai at his shoulder, Leonardo stepped through to the other side.

Although he had no idea where he was or where they were going, he couldn't help ignoring the landscape and looking first at the sky. Thousands of bright stars and not one cloud.

End

 


End file.
